Little Bumblebee

Adilyn just started dance in September at Amarillo College. To register for the class, your child must be 3 years old and potty trained. Adi is not yet 3, but at the time she was already potty trained. So, they went ahead and let us register. She was the youngest in her class and I wasn't real sure how she would do. It was a ballet/tap class so we had to go out and buy her first pair of tap shoes, ballet slippers, dance tights, leotards, and tutus. I, of course, was so excited to see her begin something like this. She looked adorable in her little tutus!

I enjoyed taking her every week to class and watched as she danced just like a little princess. All of AC dance classes put on a Christmas recital for the parents the first week of December. Adi's class was dressed as little bumblebees in Act 1 and then for Act 2 they were little snow princesses. It was a lot for a two year old to do all the rehearsals and three different performances but she did great and absolutely loved it! I wasn't sure that she would get out on the stage and actually perform but she sure did! It was hilarious and brought tears to my eyes. We will look back in a few years and remember her first dance recital and that is so precious to a Mommy's little heart.

Here are some pictures of our little ballerina!

This was at her first rehearsal. Right before we went in, she spilt chocolate milk all down the front of herself.

Cutest costume ever! She loves to try and pose.

My sweet snow princess. This was picture day!

After her recital! I love this pic!

I guess we will register her again for next semester at AC. She had too much fun. Can't wait to see what she will get to be in the next recital!

AND WE ARE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE ARRIVAL OF OUR PRECIOUS CHLOE LAYNE! I WILL BE POSTING ALL THE DETAILS AND PICTURES VERY SOON I PROMISE!!

Thanksgiving Extravaganza

Since I couldn't travel this year for the Thanksgiving Holiday, Bradey's family came to us! If you have ever been to our house, you know it isn't very big and not a lot of space to sleep 7 adults and 5 children. I was a little nervous about how it would turn out and how my patience would be tested. I have to say it went extremely well and everyone had a great time!

Sheila, Bradey's mom, came on Monday to help me shop for groceries and start cooking early. We were very successful and pretty organized which cut a lot of the stress. We did a little at a time so when the rest of the family arrived we wouldn't have everything to do. Everyone else arrived on Wednesday afternoon and there was no longer a quiet inch in the house.

We cooked all day Wednesday and left the turkey, ham, and some casseroles to cook on Thursday morning. As we were cooking the cornbread for the dressing on Wednesday night, our oven decided to have a mind of it's own and started broiling instead of baking. Outcome - burnt cornbread. From that point on, the oven kept flashing "F10" code. We had no idea what that meant and really thought nothing of it!! So, we turned it off and later tried setting the timer to cook the turkey for a certain amount of time overnight only to find out the oven was no longer working properly. Let me remind you this is almost midnight before Thanksgiving with all the important things left to cook!! Not to panic right?!? We decided to go to bed and set our alarm for 5am to try again. Maybe the oven just needed to rest after cooking all day long.

Bradey got up at 5am and tried once again. Nope!!! Nothing!!! Not happening!! I immediately texted a few friends to ask if we could use their ovens. We took the turkey and ham over to a friends house and cooked it in her oven. Thank goodness we have friends! Not only that but friends that would allow us to use their oven all day at the last minute. Later that morning Randy, Bradey's dad, and Bradey decided to bang on it a little and then proceeded to unplug it. Apparently, it was the circuit breaker which reset when they unplugged it. IT STARTED WORKING NORMAL AGAIN!!!

Eventually, we all sat down and had our Thanksgiving meal together, TURKEY AND ALL!!!

Other than that, we had a great time cooking together, playing games together, listening to the kids laugh and play, and spending time together in a little space! I am very thankful for my family and I consider myself very blessed!!

Here a few pics from the week:

Thankful it was pretty weather. The girls played ball, drew with sidewalk chalk, and went on walks.

Lots of laughter!

All 5 girls sleeping in Adi's room together!

Before Papa left, he gave all the girls a prize, a snow globe.

I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and enjoyed every minute with your families! I was definitely reminded of many things I should be thankful for, not only at Thanksgiving, but everyday!

He's Not SCARY...

"He's not scary, he's just GREEN!"

That's what Adi tells us when we put in The Grinch Stole Christmas movie. For some reason she ask every time we put in a new movie, "Is this scary?" I'm not sure what she has seen that scared her, but she is very cautious now! I guess that is a good thing! It's so funny to listen to what comes out of her little two year old mouth.

We were playing ball the other day and she told me, "Mom, we have to be very careful not to hit Chloe or she will cry and not ever come to see me." She is so anxious to meet, hold, and play with her little sister.

I could make a list of all the silly, funny things she says but I won't. That's all for today!

We Don't Have to Live in Fear

I have to admit that recently I have been living in such fear regarding my precious Adi and Chloe. I have found myself worrying about something bad happening to them and it has caused fear to consume my mind. Kidnapping, drowning, car accident, injuries, diseases, sickness, or death have played in my mind as occupying their future. I know that is so heavy and I hate having those thoughts. I so badly want to have peace and know and believe that I don't have to live in fear.

While reading the first chapter of The Power of a Praying Parent, she touches on this fear that we have as parents.

"We don't have to pace the floor anxiously, biting our nails, gnawing our knuckles,

dreading the terrible twos or torturous teens. We don't have to live in fear of

what each new phase of development may bring, what dangers might be lurking

behind every corner. Nor do we have to be perfect parents."

- Stormie Omartian

Recently, the Holy Spirit has been convicting me about entrusting Adilyn and Chloe to Him. Bradey and I dedicated Adilyn to the Lord on May 4, 2008 through a service held at our church. But I had no idea at the time the true power of doing that and truly trusting the Lord. Ultimately our children belong to Him and we are their earthly parents who have been given authority over them. Just recently, I have realized I have not wholeheartedly given my children to the Lord or I would not be living in this fear. That has to be such a blow to God, basically saying He is not powerful enough to take care of them, the ones He has created and breathed life into. He wants so much more from us than a church dedication service. He wants us to continue giving our children to Him and entrusting them to Him on a daily basis.

So the challenges that I'm focusing on this week are: (encouraged within the book)

• to declare myself to be in full partnership with God.
• to believe that He will carry the heaviness of the burden and provide wisdom, power, protection, and ability far beyond myself
• that I will do my job to discipline, teach, nurture, and "train up a child in the way she should go" knowing that "when she is old, she will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
• to depend on God to enable me to raise my girls properly, and He will see to it that their life is blessed.

My prayer this week is: as I cover them in prayer and release them into God's hands, that He would release my mind from particular concerns and overwhelming fears and replace it with truth, peace and comfort.

Just a warning, many of my blog entries from this point on will probably be related to this subject since this is the season I am in right now. This is my way of journaling what the Lord is doing in my heart. I hope you enjoy and are encouraged as well. I promise to also blog about other things going on in our life soon. So, I'm sorry if you get tired of hearing about becoming a praying parent!! :)

A New Journey

"I remember calling my mother one night explaining my situation and asking her to pray for me. She responded by telling me that God had brought me to this place for a reason and that He was trying to get my attention. The following day when I opened the Word, I was stunned by the scripture 'Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you' (Matt. 6:33). I had read it so many times before but never realized the profound simplicity of the passage. I had become so sidetracked by my own personal challenges that I was constantly asking God to make something happen in my life rather than truly seeking the Spirit of God to empower my life. It was at that point I fell on my face before the Lord with no other agenda than to seek Him.

All this to say that God will often allow us to dig ourselves into our own stress-filled situations while waiting patiently for us to embrace His will first and foremost. And those miserable times become the very vehicle God uses to bring us into a deeper relationship with Him. I don't doubt that God was calling me to trust Him beyond my own comfort zone. Had I not gotten to that low point, I know I could not have come to the place where I would now be able to handle a recent abundance of blessing!" - Christopher Omartian

The above is an excerpt from Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Parent. Recently, I have felt the Lord challenging me to intercede for my children. After all, He has given us the authority as parents to intercede powerfully for our children no matter what age they are or whether or not they live with us. After reading what her son wrote in the Foreword about his mother and her many years of praying for him, I was simply humbled and encouraged for many reasons. There was so much truth in what he said just about our personal relationship with the Lord. So many times we are so focused on ourselves and God is simply just waiting for us to seek Him first and foremost. Also, for him to have the kind of relationship with his mother to call upon her when he needs prayer is powerful. I so desire that for my relationship with my children.

I want my girls to know that one of my roles as their mother is to be an intercessor for them. An intercessor is one who prays for someone and makes possible the ability of that person to respond to God. No one else on earth will ever pray for our children with the fervency and consistency that we will as parents. What an awesome opportunity to powerfully affect our child's life for eternity.

So I tell you about my new journey for two reasons:

1) to encourage you to embark on this journey with me and challenge yourself to fervently pray for your children

2) to encourage me and pray for me to be consistent with this wonderful and fulfilling task of becoming an effective praying parent

While it is easy for every mom and dad to have the desire to pray for their children, knowing how to pray for them specifically can often be a challenge. - Stormie Omartian

As I embark on this adventure of praying for my children, my prayer is that I will find it to be an unending habit of my heart. Being able to positively affect my children in prayer will keep me in close contact with them and actively involved in their lives as well as growing intimately close with my God. I pray that it will continually contribute to my joy as a parent and Christ follower!

POUR OUT YOUR HEART LIKE WATER

BEFORE THE FACE OF THE LORD.

LIFT YOUR HANDS TOWARD HIM FOR THE

LIFE OF YOUR YOUNG CHILDREN.

LAMENTATIONS 2:19

If you want to begin this journey with me, leave a comment below so that I may encourage you and pray for you as well!

Girlfriends

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a women's retreat that my amazing church prepared, as they do every year! This year our special guest were Lisa Jernigan & Patty Wyatt. Theses two ladies are Co-founders of "Girlfriends Unlimited," an international organization and ministry for women and churches. The information they presented to us during the retreat was very encouraging, eye-opening, and powerful! In the opening session, they had us complete a Preview Profile - Girlfriend Style. The profile was titled, "Which Coffee Type are You?" It looked a little something like this:

Select the words in each category that describe your behaviors

(Choose what truly describes you, not how you would like to be described)

Latte

• evasive
• practical
• diplomatic
• factual
• controlled
• analytical
• inquisitive
• cautious
• persistent
• accurate
• deliberate
• detailed
• reserved
• precise

Chai

• relaxed
• patient
• good listener
• consistent
• thoughtful
• enjoys routine
• deep relationships
• amiable
• loyal
• team player
• adaptable
• avoids conflict
• dislikes change
• nurturing

Espresso

• demanding
• ambitious
• determined
• decisive
• bold
• firm
• goal driven
• decision maker
• competitive
• assertive
• takes charge
• purposeful
• leader
• enjoys challenge

Mocha

• inspiring
• likes recognition
• takes risks
• very verbal
• avoids details
• likes variety
• energetic
• people oriented
• optimistic
• expressive/emotional
• approachable
• visionary
• motivator
• creative

Now double the number of words selected in each category.

You can find this actual Profile on their website www.GirlfriendIT.com

This activity was neat because we could identify which personality we are and it made so much sense. The girls around me that night are some of my closest friends and we had such a good time doing this together. We laughed because we probably could have filled one of these out for each other. But more than that, it helped each one of us understand more of who we are, how we deal with people, circumstances, conflict, conversation, etc. We also received a better grasp on how to influence and communicate with each other!

Sometimes as women we don't understand our differences, we just expect everyone to be like ourselves. However, that can cause some frustration and create relationships that aren't solid! The entire experience over the course of the weekend made me really thankful for the girlfriends I have and also made me realize how important it is to make sure that we have girlfriends we can count on at all times. We need friends in our lives that we can be real with, call on at anytime, laugh and cry with, and be transparent with in full confidence that they have our best interest at heart!

I love getting together with my girlfriends because I can count on them to leave me refreshed with a fresh perspective, to encourage me as a Christ follower, and to walk forward with a greater purpose! I encourage you to evaluate your friendships. Do you have girlfriends that you can trust and be real with?

Finally, I will leave you with another great piece of information I gained at this awesome retreat: You have to put yourself out there, be vulnerable and transparent, in order for you to find and create friendships that are forever! They definitely don't just appear and fall in your lap! INVEST yourself in others lives and you will be blessed with that in return!

One Of My Favorite Memories

One of my favorite memories as a little girl is fishing with my Dad. This was something we did frequently when we were together. I remember going to dig up worms to take with us, learning to slide the worm onto the hook by myself, getting lessons on casting, holding the fish for the first time, and much more. I think I was even better than my Dad!

One of the last trips home to Rotan, Adi got to experience one of her first fishing expeditions. Bradey's parents have a tank by their house and we usually ride down to feed the fish.

This time we decided to let her catch some. This was so exciting for me because I would love for her to have memories of fishing with her Daddy like I do.

She wasn't real sure what to think about touching the slimy little thing. She eventually would let her Daddy place the fish in her hands and then she would throw it back into the water.

This was one of many fishing experiences I hope for her. I wish we had a place close to us that we could take her more often.

What are some of your favorite childhood memories that you hope for your children to experience?

TrIcK oR tReAt, SmElL mY fEeT...

GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT!

Another Halloween has come and gone and I absolutely can't believe this was Adi's 3rd year to experience Halloween festivities. Time goes by so fast!

Her first Halloween (2007) she was Nemo the fish! I know Nemo is a boy, but when I saw this costume, I just couldn't pass it up. We took her to St. Stephen UMC Fall Festival. Of course she couldn't do much at this point and had no idea what was going on around her. However, it was a fun beginning of a family tradition.

Her second Halloween (2008) she was a Squiggly Pig. For some odd reason people kept saying, "Oh look at that cute lamb!" Really??? Are lambs pink? Do they have a snout and curly tail? NO!!!!! Anyways, it was a cute costume and she looked adorable! We took her to SSUMC again and also to our church for their "Trunk-or-Treat" event. Nana and Granddad came up to Amarillo to join us and Adi had a blast with them while she got lots and lots of goodies.

And finally, her 3rd Halloween (2009) she was the prettiest princess of all! She got this 'Belle' princess dress at Disney World when we went last Christmas. Funny thing is, she has never seen the movie 'Beauty and the Beast' but she loves to dress up as a princess. The wig was my favorite part and I'm really not sure how I got her to keep it on.

This year was different because she had more knowledge of what Halloween was about and actually got to go 'Trick-or-Treating" with some of her friends. We still went to SSUMC and a couple of other festivals, but I think she had the most fun going door to door with her friends. I wasn't sure if she would actually say, "Trick-or-Treat" when strangers would open the door, but she did. Actually, she tried to go in a few of the houses to see their pets. She is a animal fanatic and when she saw that some had dogs or cats, she thought she should go and see them. So, we had to have a little chat about walking into strangers' homes.

When we returned home, we turned on our porch lights so she could hand out candy to some of the other trick-or-treaters. She had just as much fun handing out candy as she did getting it!

I love Halloween for some reason as a Mom. I enjoy finding her a cute costume and allowing her to experience the festivities that come along with Halloween. When I was little, I don't remember Halloween activities being a fun family tradition. I don't remember ever dressing up, carving pumpkins, or going to festivals. I'm sure I did, but it just wasn't a big deal to my family. So, I like creating family traditions that we can take part in each year. Hopefully, when Adi is older, she will remember these times of us as a family and also the memories she creates with friends.

I'm not sure who had more fun, me or her?!?!

Next year, we will have two little ones to dress up and experience all the fun!! Can't wait!

No longer three...but four!

It has been brought to my attention that my blogger name needs to change soon! We will no longer be 'The Murphree Three.' So, I need some help coming up with a new, creative, unique and catchy title for our blog. I know some of you are very capable of this, unlike myself. So, bring it on!

That's all for now!

Anxiously Waiting

In about 5 more weeks we will get the blessed opportunity to meet Chloe Layne Murphree. We are overwhelmed with anxiety, excitement and even a little fear! Most of all, I can't wait for the moment I get to see what she looks like. Will she look like her sister and her Daddy? Maybe Mommy will finally get to hear, "She looks just like you!" Red hair? Blue eyes? Hmmmmmm! Adi is constantly hugging and kissing on my belly. She ask all the time if she can play with Chloe when she comes out. I think she will be a great big sister. I'm sure she will be more help than we can imagine at times!

I will be having a c-section again. It is currently scheduled for December 7th at noon. The weeks seem to go by slower and slower as we get closer. I have felt pretty good except having a head cold that just will not go away. This season of flu and H1N1 has sparked a little fear within us that we strive daily to replace with the comfort that our Lord is our Protector and Healer. So far, we have been flu free!!

I hope to be better about blogging this season! I know I say that every time I blog, so hopefully I am serious this time! :) We'll see! My life is about to change a little but I look forward to every minute as a mom with two precious girls.

It's Been A While

I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, I am just really bad about blogging. A lot has happened since the last blog from the Murphree Three. So let me give you an update.

• I finally finished the Twilight series. Yea me!
• Adi is loving her toddler bed and sleeps all night in it.
• She turned 2 in March.
• We found out that we are expecting again. I'm currently 9 weeks.
• Our house is on the market.
• Bradey is wanting to coach football and has taken the high school math and science certification tests and passed both.
• We have started a new small group and are absolutely loving it.

So, there you go. We haven't had many lookers on the house but we know that we have to trust God's timing. It just takes one couple and hopefully they will come along soon. If we are supposed to stay right where we are, then we are perfectly ok with that. We are wanting to stay in Amarillo because we feel like this is where God has us right now. We adore the friends we have and our church home has blessed us beyond belief. We would just like to find an older home that would allow us to have a cheaper monthly payment.

Adilyn is getting so big. I can't believe she is two already. She is like a small adult and talks like crazy. We are surprised everyday with the things that come out of her mouth. She is such a joy and I cherish every second with her. She is going to be a great big sister and I'm sure she will be beyond helpful.

I will leave you with this for now and I will do my best to update you more often with our daily adventures in life. I hope you are all doing well!

Who Would Have Thought...Vampire Books!?!

I have never considered myself a reader.  I have never really enjoyed diving into a great book and reading for hours and hours.   I remember being in grade school and reading Hank the Cowdog and Goosebumps.  I can remember when I first got married I read some of Dan Brown's books such as the DaVinci Code.  I have read a few books on marriage and parenting but that about sums up my library of completed books after 26 years of my life. Since I have been staying in Adi's room at night until she falls asleep, I had to find something to pass the time.  A few months ago, my friends were going on and on about Twilight and that book series about vampires.  I borrowed the first book from one of them and tried to start reading it.  Well I didn't get very far.  It sat in our living room for about a month or so after I had started it.  I decided to give it another shot and I took it with me into Adi's room one night to pass the time.  I am now finished with that after not being able to put it down.  I started the second one, New Moon, on Monday and I'm almost finished with it and ready for the third book.

This is a little embarrassing, but just to let you know how into these books I actually am, Bradey said I talked in my sleep the other night.  I was told that I said, "Are you really going to let him bite you 4 times in the same 

place?"  Bradey followed with, "What?  What did you just ask me?"  Of course my response was a jumble of mumbles.  I had no idea what I was saying but apparently my mind was still working on processing the events of that evening's reading.  I normally don't talk in my sleep.  I think I have maybe 3 times since we've been married and this last time is one of them.  

I have really enjoyed reading these past two weeks and it is something I think I want to continue doing.  I just have to find the right kind of books.  Apparently, I like action-packed stories that leave me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next.  Love stories just aren't for me, even though this series is kind of a love story.  So, I will let you know when I finish the vampire series.  If you haven't read them already, you definitely should.  I can't wait to go see the movie Twilight.  

2009 Small Group

The time has come.  Our new small group is underway.  I had mixed emotions about this since the day our first small group decided to multiply.  We had decided back in the Fall that we would split and start new groups.  There were, and still are, so many young couples in our church that desired to be in a small group.  Our group had been meeting every Tuesday for over a year.  We had become very close, almost too close at times.  My husband and I grew very fond of each couple.  We now consider each one of them our very best friends here in Amarillo.  I can definitely say that the Lord spoke through them and the wisdom that they shared with us strengthened our marriage.  I am so grateful for that experience and was very sad and unsure the moment we felt the Lord saying it was time to move on and allow other couples to experience the powerfulness of a community group.  The sadness and insecurities slowly left as I began to trust in the Lord and what He had in store for another group.  

We took a break for a few months and decided we would wait until the first of the year to get another group up and running.  Our church hosted a Group Connect this past Sunday.  This allowed us to meet some other couples and God quickly made things possible.  We met last night to get to know one another.  I was really nervous and I had prayed that God would take all the expectations I had from our last group and replace them with trust and peace that everything is in His hands.  We ordered pizza, visited, the kids played well together, and discussed the structure our group was looking for.  

After everyone left, I felt such an amazing amount of peace and excitement for this new group.  I feel that God has hand selected each couple for a reason that we may not know yet, but I think amazing life changing things are going to take place.  It may not be the same as our first group, but I have no doubt that it will be awesome in so many different ways.  

After sharing all of that with you, we are praying and searching for a great study to start things off.  We are all married, have kids, want to strengthen our relationship with the Lord, encourage others, and create a sense of community that is unbelievable.  If you know of any great books, studies, etc., please send your suggestions my way.  Also, if you don't mind, pray for our group and for brokenness to take place.  We want the Holy Spirit to take over and create some amazing experiences this year.  I want to be completely obedient in what the Lord wants for this group.

Toddler Bed Troubles

Some of you already know that we have recently transformed Adi's crib into a toddler bed.  She is 21 months old and I thought it was time to give it a try.  WRONG!  Way to go Mom.  It all started when we went on vacation over Christmas.  We went to Disney World for a week.  Adi slept in a pack'n'play all week, however we were in the same room.  Of course her routine was hard to stick to while we were having so much fun in the parks.  She would nap in the stroller or on someone's shoulder and sometimes didn't get in bed until after midnight. Basically any routine we did have was no longer in place.  After we returned home, she went back to her crib for three nights.  I believe all three nights she ended up in bed with us.  Bad mistake but we were so tired from a week long vacation and just wanted to sleep.  Then, I decided to try taking the front of the crib off making it a toddler bed.  I didn't even think about getting her back in her nightly routine before changing her world.  I didn't realize how big this transition is for a child.  Now I understand after battling bedtime now for weeks.  

Along with this transition, we found out that I had a miscarriage.  I had to have a D&C and Adi could just sense that things weren't right around our house.  She clung to me and I definitely clung to her while grieving.  Now here we are having trouble deciding the right thing to do.  I know every child is different and there are so many different theories out there.  I bought a couple of books and have been praying daily for clarity and guidance.  

Our nightly routine goes something like this:

• eat dinner together around 6:30 
• take a bath
• put on pj's
• have some down time
• brush teeth
• get a sassy and read books in bed
• lights out (closet light on with door cracked)

Bradey or I have to sit next to her bed until she falls asleep.  If we leave the room before she is asleep she cries and frantically gets out of her bed.  She will say, "I don't want my bed."  She has even fallen asleep in her little chair in her room because she doesn't seem to like her new bed.  

Once she is asleep, we leave the room, and she will have many night-wakings.  She needs us again to fall asleep.  So, I'm sure you know the ending to most of our nights, we are all in the same bed.  I know a lot of people are fine with their kids sleeping with them and they move on but we just really would like her to sleep in her own bed and learn to fall asleep on her own.  She used to love going to bed in her crib, slept all night, and so did we.  We just want that for our family once again for everyone's sanity.  

So, here is where you come in.  I need some input.  Here are a few questions that are floating around in my mind waiting for answers.

1.  Do we skip the toddler bed and move her to a twin?

2. Do we continue to stay in her room so she can fall asleep?

3.  Do we attempt the cry-it-out method.?

4. How do we keep her in her bed?

5.  Is there a fear that has developed?

6.  One of our friends loaned us their little toddler bed that you use the crib mattress.  Do we use this instead?

If you have gone through this, please feel free to share your experience.  I would love to hear your thoughts even if you haven't gone through this yet.